Ocatilla Model, ca. 1993
Pat Evans | Nov 3, 2026
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is partnering with the Chandler Museum and Organic Architecture + Design Archives on Ocatilla: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lost Desert Masterpiece, an exhibition curated by Jennifer Gray, PhD, Vice President of the Taliesin Institute. Ocatilla was Wright’s first desert camp, and it serves as a point of departure for exploring a host of other projects in which Wright experimented with how architecture can respond to extreme environments, water scarcity, and resource constraints, a topic of ongoing concern today.
Museums often lend collections items like artwork and furniture to other cultural heritage organizations for display. This allows us to reach new audiences and share material often not on view from storage. For this exhibition, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has lent a ca. 1993 architectural model of Wright’s desert compound and studio, Ocatilla (1929) to the Chandler Museum.
TSoA student Brad Hughes (left) and staff Eric LaSalle (right) painting the base of the model Manarin Red, which is the color used on the doors at Taliesin West.
Museum loans require meticulous planning and documentation between the two organizations such as agreements, fine art insurance, and logistics related to packing and transit. To lend, the collections item must be in good condition to ensure that it is stable for transit and display.
TSoA student Brad Hughes cleaning the model with an artifact brush and vacuum.
During a condition assessment, areas of loss, damage, and water staining were discovered on the non-historic Ocatilla model. To treat these issues, we worked with The School of Architecture staff Nick Gulick and Brad Hughes along with students Ethan LaSalle and Kelly Vigil, under the supervision of President Chris Lasch. Over two weeks, the TSoA team addressed water damage on the soil, stabilized the frame, reattached loose features, refabricated elements that had been lost, and gave the piece a thorough cleaning. Their work was supervised by Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Registrar and Collection Manager Pat Evans.
Loose pieces being reattached during repairs.
Detail of model after treatment.
Detail of model after treatment.
